Diaper-type garment



Jan. 10, 1961 A. J. OLSON 2,967,526

DIAPER-TYPE GARMENT Filed Sept. 23, 1957 United States Patent This-invention relates to a diaper-type garment and more particularly'to a combinedpanty and diaper gar- -ment.

"The conventional diaper consists of one or more layers of absorbent cloth formed in a rectangular shape and adaptedto be folded andpinned-on an infantv in the .well- .known manner. The objective-of the conventional diaper is that of utility rather than appearance and is .not intended to be a garment inthe'usual-sense. There is,ordi- -narilyno means for maintainingthe outer portion of the diaper in demand dry condition and,-hence, iti'has become customary to supply rubber-r plastic outer -panties to a cover the conventional diaper. 'f Such rubber garments likewise are designed primarily for utilityand are .notparticularly dainty or -pleasing in appearance. Furthermore, the rubber or plastic-often has the objection that it causesuirritation or rash on the-skinof the infant adjacent the diaper.

.-;When.it-becomes necessary for an older child tocontinue wearing diapers, a social problem often arises from -theuattitude of other children brought about'by their .awarenessof the appearance of the conventional garment. Sometimes the same'problem is encountered in hospitalsor institutions where it is desirable to furnish adultswith a diaper-type garment.

zIt is, therefore, an important object of this invention .toovercome the above noted difficulties and objections in connection with conventional diapers and a covering garments, and to provide a comfortable articleof wear which hasa high degree of utility as a-diaper-type'garment, yet which presents a neat and pleasing appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pinless combined diaper. and parity article which is :unfoldable for! easy washing and cleaning andis -provi'ded-with a waterproof insert held in. position without the necessity of, fastening.

Arfurther ,object of the invention is to providea diaper article,-the edges of which define :an articleconforming generally to the contours of. a. users legs vand waistand which provides the benefits of a. diaper whilepresenting the appearance of a garment" for dress wear.

A still further object of the invention is to providea diaper garment of the class described in which a plurality .of fastening elements provide .means for progressively andreleasably expanding the article so as to-properly'fit persons'requiringsuch garment irrespective of their-body proportionsxfor example, adult-mental patients.

Theseand other objects-and advantagesof the invention will-more fully appearifrom the following description made-. in connection i-with the accompanying idrawipgs, .wherein like reference vcharacters refer to the same or ;similar ;parts throughout the several views and in wh sh Figure 1 is a view of my invention showingthe external side of the diaper panty in extended position;

;F; igure 2-is ;a view of myinventionshowing: the internal side'pf the diaper panty with :aywaterproof insert ,and absorbent pad placed in position;the11eon;:portions1of the material are ,cut away. to better show the relationship of the parts;

Figure 3 is a viewoftheinsert pads-used withtmyjnsertion;

Figure 4 is a segmental ehlargedl'viewtakeninsection on the line 4-4, of Figure ,l,. andshowingathe overlapping relation of .the sheet membersuandmthe relationship of the tiestrings to the remainderaofjthe garment;

Figure 5. illustratesjthe;diaper panty offEiguresi 1..and 2 in secured position on, the body of an infant; and

"Figure; 6 shows an alternateform. of, padswhichgis especially adapted foribabies duringtheir first fewtmoriths.

With continued reference ptoQtheIdrawings,;my1..combined diaper and panty garment'ds .showriinifrontiarid back view in Figures 1 and 2. "The outer expos'ediarea of the garment: is, indicated generally, at10;;a1id .comprises aiflexible and absorbent sheetshavipgsubstantially rectilinear configuration at each end, the, endsiterminating inedges 11 and" 12 respectively, and 'the side edgeswadjacent the edgefiltbeingdesignated as 13 'aiid".14, -wliile the side edges adjacent the end edgejlZ are'design'atedras 15 and '16. The flexibletand "absorbent, 'sheet10' has "a narrowed area'Aythe edges ofrwhich'are' smoothly, curved cat 17 and is'togfdefineileg openings when the garmentlis used. The'diexible and "absorbent "she'et'"10s m'a doubled, tripled, or otherwise constructed injjm rple fashion and is designed to haveornamentalgappa ance.

at the outer exposed area. "Thus, outingfianriel'o'f color or decorativeidesign-may" be employed' as For more-utilitarianpurposes, such as in; institutions, the outer flexible and absorbent sheet "may .beflmu'fslin 16f plain" and neatcharacter; or such other tzldth' and appear- 'ance" as may,suitihe-circumstances. H p I H I have foundit useful toutilize.;a-miil tiple layer eon- --st-ruction-in building up the:' flexible?arid -absoi'bent sheet' and absorbentsheetl-flmay comprise a flayer l9' 1 defines theentire' outer configuration the' garment aiid a-smaller-outer layer -QO Which can e seWnWogther with =the first' layer in a-piuramy'ar s titch lines iirwhich serve to: create passageways 22-arid" 23-adjacentj the respective en'd e'dges' l'l and lafpassag'eways 2 4 -a1idf 2 5 in spaced parallel relation inwardly of 'theipassageways .22 -and '2'3,eand drawstring *-passageways 26 ya-nd-fliinarginally of the curved edges 1*7 anddfii which?de fine' the "narrowed crotch area A. Eaeh of theti-f0'1'emerftionei'd passageways "receives -a- =tie -or drawstiing 28,the outer ends 29 of which extend *outw ard ly beyoiid themrids of each of the passageways and beyondthe rectilinear-"side edges 13 1-6. Fixe'd faste'ners'sueh as' 'the snap faiitener elements 30-=may be applied maggina iyuaepredezermined spaced relation-along the rectllinear side dg'es 13 {arid '14,; as' shown, rand cooperating snap fasiteners ifl apnea in thesarne manner zmarginally of the re" =e'dges1115 an'cl 1 6;at the-other end of th V latter?fasteners arepreferably-positioned n: gii'rnrjt with each-of-the drawstrings' 28 for-21 purpose 'witliich will Jae subsequently-(1isclosed f f "i In some instances; it is desirable to provide small* ve'nt openingsf32 at selected areas oftheaouter sheetpas shown in Figure l. i V

An important 'feature' of this:invention -is meansf for creating a waterproof E barrier interna'lly -2of-{the''garnie"nt thereto or may be a loose insert held in position by frictional contact with the inside of the outer sheet and by the particular configuration which tends to maintain it wedged in place. It is useful to have the flexible waterproof sheet 33 fixed marginally or secured directly to the outer sheet 10 at the inwardly facing area thereof so that the surface of the waterproof sheet will provide an area against which other elements of the invention may be inserted and positioned without rumpling the waterproof sheet. I have found that a number of plastic materials, such as polyethylene sheeting, are useful in constructing the flexible waterproof sheet member.

Overlying the flexible waterproof sheet 33 are a pair of panels or sheets 34 and 35 which may be flexible and absorbent and constructed of the same or different material than the outer sheet 10. The overlying panels or sheets 34 and 35 together have substantially the same configuration as the flexible and absorbent sheet, the outer edges being the same and coincident with those of the outer sheet 10. Panels 34 and 35 considered individually conform to a part of the marginal outline of the outer sheet 10 and each has an unsecured edge 36 and 37 which define, in turn, an overlapping flap area 38 on the panel 34 and 39 on the panel 35. Since these overlapping flap portions or areas are unsecured, they produce a pocket opening which permits access to the internal area underlying the panels and interposed between the flexible waterproof sheet 33 and the panel members.

The unit as described above is washable and constitutes a useful garment in itself. I have, however, found it useful to employ auxiliary absorbent pad means in conjunction with the garment and which pad means may be independently separated and cleaned. Such pad is shown separately in Figure 3, and indicated generally at 40. The pad has an end area 41 and an opposed end area 42 with a narrow crotch area 43 which defines a configuration generally similar to that of the garment hitherto described. The pad 40, of course, should have somewhat smaller dimensions for the purpose of easy insertion and removal from between the panel members 34 and 35. The pad element 40 is shown in place in Figure 2 and lies between the absorbent panel members 34 and 35 on the one hand and flexible waterproof sheet 33 on the other hand. The pad 40 may be constructed of absorbent cloth usually employed for diapers and similar garments, and is designed to be soft as well as absorbent and capable of easy cleaning and sterilizing. Although the entire garment may be cleaned with the pad 40 in place, it is understood that washing and cleaning is simplified by separating the pad element 40 from between the flap areas 38 and 39.

Details of the relative positions and marginal sewing as well as the formation of the drawstring passageways is shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of a segment of the entire device,'as shown in Figure 4.

An alternate form of my invention is shown in Figure 6, wherein the outer flexible and absorbent sheet 44 has a general configuration similar to that of sheet 10 in the first form described. Similarly, the garment of Figure 6 is provided with a flexible and waterproof sheet 45 lying against the absorbent sheet 44 and having the same general configuration of the entire garment. Here, again, flexible sheet 45 may be secured to the sheet 44 or may be an independent insert merely held in place by frictional contact. A pair of sheets or panels 46 and 47, together, have substantially the same configuration as the flexible and absorbent sheet 44 and are provided with unsecured overlapping flap areas 48 and 49 respectively. In the instant case, the flexible and absorbent sheet 44 may be usefully built up to a greater degree of thickness and absorbing power so that independent pad means are not required. The device illustrated in Figure 6 may be of the same shape and size as the pad 40 and may be used in the place of pad 40 when inserted into the garment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The garment of Figure 6 may be smaller than that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and may constitute an independent diaper and panty garment for babies during the first few months of their lives. This particular garment of Figure 6 is designed, however, to utilize the flexible and absorbent sheet 44 in contact with the babys skin and the rectilinear side edges 50 and 51 are designed to be pinned respectively to the rectilinear side edges 52 and 53 with safety pins as is customarily done.

Referring now to Figure 5, the garment of Figures 1 and 2 may be provided with a suitable pad 40, the pad being inserted between the panel flaps 38 and 39 so as to lie intermediate the flexible waterproof sheet 33 and the panels 34 and 35. The device is then applied to the user with the end edges 11 and 12 brought upwardly and the narrowed area A positioned at the crotch. The fixed fasteners 30 are all cooperatively fastened to the respective cooperating fasteners 31 at the side of the user, the intermediate edges 17 and 18 of the garment then surrounding the respective legs of the user. Drawstrings 28 are then drawn up and tied together with corresponding drawstrings so that the adjacent drawstring extensions 29 extending from passageways 22 and 23 are secured together and the respective drawstring extensions 29 extending from the passageways 24 and 25 are similarly tied at their adjacent free ends. The draw strings 28 in the passageways 26 and 27 respectively are each independently tied together at their own free ends 29, the garment being gathered appropriately. If desired, the side edges 17 and 18 and the upper edges 11 and 12 may be provided with ruflles 54 and 55, respectively. When thus applied, the garment has a pleasing and decorative appearance as well as the usual utilitarian function.

The application and use of the smaller garment shown in Figure 6 and described above will be obvious.

The full utilization of the fasteners and tie or drawstrings of the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 may be made during the training period of a childs life and may obviate the use of independent training garments. In the period prior to training, the garment may be somewhat large for a child and, in such case, that portion of each end of the garment shown in Figure 1 which lies outwardly of the passageways 24 and 25 may be folded over and inwardly with the end portions of panels 34 and 35 being doubled back in self-contact and the tie or drawstrings 28 and fasteners 30 and 31 associated with the passageways 22 and 23 being untied and unfastened if desired. I have found it useful, however, to at least fasten the snap members 30 and 31 when thus using the garment. It will be noted that the passageways 24 and 25 thus become the uppermost edges of the garment and the free ends 29 of the tie or drawstrings 28 thus become the upper fastening elements in conjunction with their aligned and associated fasteners 30 and 31. For smaller children, the drawstrings associated with the respective marginal passageways 26 and 27 may be drawn up more tightly, the cloth gathering to accommodate the situation.

It may thus be seen that I have devised an easily washable garment having all of the utility of the conventional diaper garments together with waterproofing characteristics capable of maintaining rubber, plastic or the like out of contact with the skin of the user, and further providing an ornamental and pleasing appearance which does not suggest the functional aspects of the garment.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

A combined diaper and panty garment comprising an elongated exterior flexible sheet having substantially rectilinear end and side portions adjacent each end, said sheet having a narrowed area intermediate the ends, a flexible waterproof sheet lying inwardly of the exterior sheet and substantially of the same configuration therewith, a pair of inner sheets overlying said flexible Waterproof sheet together having substantially the same configuration as the exterior flexible sheet and flexible waterproof sheet and being marginally secured about the entire periphery of the same, said pair of sheets having overlapping flap portions in unsecured relation to each other and in relation to the waterproof sheet, an absorbent pad member lying intermediate the flexible waterproof sheet and said pair of inner sheets, said pad being removable from between the unsecured overlapping portions of said pair of sheets, a pair of drawstrings secured one each along each of the rectilinear end portions and having free ends extending beyond the sides of the garment, a pair of drawstrings secured one each in spaced parallel relation from the rectilinear end portion of the exterior flexible sheet and having free ends extending beyond the side margins thereof, and a separate fixed cooperating pair of fastening elements secured to the exterior flexible sheet adjacent each of the corresponding pairs of free ends ofthe drawstrings whereby the garment may be shortened by folding in wardly that portion of the garment lying above each 'of the spaced second mentioned pair of drawstrings during use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,904 Bernstein Aug. 22, 1916 2,122,417 Fridolph July 5, 1938 2,242,977 Marcos May 20, 1941 2,510,665 Sonnenberg June 6, 1950 2,515,737 Schwarzberger July 18, 1950 2,566,046 Weinstein Aug. 28, 1951 2,599,355 Stepp June 3, 1952 7 2,654,367 Turnham 2 Oct. 6, 1953 2,770,237 Starr Nov. 13, 1956 2,817,338 Slusser Dec. 24, 1957 

